Loose-leaf binder.



PATENTED JAN. 9, 1906.

B. G. DUMAS. v LOOSE LEAF BINDER. APPLICATION FILED SEPT.11.1906.

Juucutoz ERNEST G. DUMAS, OF LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS.

LOOSE-LEAF BINDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 9, 1906.

Application filed September 11, 1905. Serial No. 277,885.

T at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST G. DUMAS, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Lowell, in the county ofMiddlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Loose-Le af Binders, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to that class of binders used with what are knownas loose-leaf systems of ledgers, account-books, &c., in which theleaves are inserted or removed at will and when inserted are held inplace in book-form.

It relates particularly to the means of holding and clamping the coversof such books in lace. p In the type of book to which my invention isapplicable the lower cover is of heavy material and near the back risetwo or more osts, either solid or sectional. The loose eaves are passedover the top of these posts or are so cut as to pass by on both sides ofthem. The top cover is also heavy and is provided with orifices adaptedfor the assage of the posts. To hold the covers an in terposed leavestogether, the top cover must be capable of being pressed very firmlydown upon the leaves, and in that position it must be securely fastenedto the posts. It must also be easy to detach. This has been done byvarious forms of clamps. As the complete article is an account or otherclass of book which is to be used on a desk and must be slid around agreat deal, it is necessary that it should have no projections or roughedges to catch.

To accomplish the above-named objects, the working parts are usuallyplaced inside the upper cover and are operated by a detachable key orwrench which is passed through a suitable hole therein. This key isbeing constantly lost and is objectionable on that account.

The objects of my invention are to provide a positive and secure binderand one which can be operated without a detachable key and one on whichare no projections or rough parts.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional view from the topof the back of the top cover with the leather removed and the woodpartly broken away. Fig. 2 is a view from the back of the top cover,the.

leather being removed. Fig. 3 is a view from the end of a book, theleaves and part of the top cover being shown in section. Fig. 4

shows the way the book usually rests when open.

A is the flat part of the top cover, usually of pasteboard and connectedwith the .binder member B by a leather hinge a. p

O is the flat part of the bottom cover, usually of pasteboard andconnected with its ginder member D by a leather hinge 0. (See The bindermembers B and D are preferably made of wood and are covered withleasher, usually of the same piece as hinges a an a.

From the bottom member D rise at right angles two or more binding-postsE F, which may each be of one piece or of the sectional type. These arefirmly fixed in member D. Top memberB is recessed lengthwise, and in therecess -6, which is so cut away as to receive the working parts, issecured clampplate G, which carries the clamps and attachments. Topmember B and clamp-plate G are pierced by orifices 5 5 to allow posts EF to passentirely through them. I use one complete clamp for each post.

To plate G is secured by screws or otherwise the fixed jaws 7 7 of myclamps. These fixed jaws conform to the surface of posts E and F andform an extension of the orifices 5 5,- through which said posts pass.On the other side of orifices 5 5 are the levers 8 8, which form themovable jaws of my clamps and are pivoted on pivots 13 13 on plate G.Near the pivots 13 13 the levers 8 8 are recessed to conform to thesurface of posts E F. These jaws are operated as clamps by means ofset-screws 9 9, which pass through blocks 10 10, attached to plate Gbyscrews or otherwise, and bear against the long arm of levers 8 8. Torelease the levers 8 8, I provide the half-elliptic springs 11 11, whichare attached at their center points to the ends of levers 8 8 and attheir ends bear against the side of recess 6 in member B, as shown inFig. 1. Member B is cut away sufficiently to form depressions at thepoints 12 12, whereby set-screws 9 9 are dropped entirely below the backedge, and so presents a smooth surface to the desk or table on which thebook rests. (See Fig. 4.)

Fig. 3 shows the way the book usually rests when closed. If turned over,the rubber caps K protect the desk from the ends of posts E F. Thesecaps K K are preferably screwed into the ends of posts E and F. Fig. 4shows the way the book usually rests when open and shows why theset-screws are located in recesses 12 12.

The operation is as follows: The lower cover C D is laid fiat by itselfwith posts E F up, leaves II are put in place, set-screws 9 9 areloosened, top cover A B is put in place on top of the leaves H andpressed down forcibly with the hands, set-screws 9 9 are tight ened,thus clamping jaws 8 8 and 7 7 with posts E and F between them, and thusthe whole book is held firmly together. The levers and set-screws allowtremendous pressure to be exerted on the jaws which hold posts E I andthere is no danger of slipping or accidental turning of the set-screws,as they are entirely inside recesses 12 12. Besides this, as each posthas its own clamp the pressure on each can be regulated independently,and any fine adjustment or balancing of parts is thereby avoided.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to cover by Letters Patent, is

1. In a loose-leaf binder, a lower cover comprising a binder member,posts arising from the lower binder member, an upper cover comprising abinder member, a recess in the upper binder member, a plate secured inthe recess, orifices in the upper binder member and in the plate for thepassage of said posts, fixed jaws, and levers forming clamps therewithabout the posts, springs at the ends of the levers, set-screws bearingagainst the levers, and depressions in the upper binder member toreceive the set-screws.

2. In a looseleaf binder, a plate, a fixed clampj aw, a pivotedclamp-jaw cooperating therewith, a spring carried by the lever, and

a set-screw adapted to operate the lever, com-.

bined with a binder member recessed for the plate with depressions forthe setscrews, and orifices for the posts, a lower binder member, andposts rising therefrom as described.

8. In a loose-leaf binder, a lower cover, and posts rising therefrom,combined with an upper cover including a clamp-plate with orifices forthe posts, clamp-jaws fixed thereto, clamp-jaws pivoted thereto,set-screws, and

half -elliptic springs adapted to operate the pivoted jaws, rubber capsfor the posts, and a binder member recessed for the plate, cut away forthe set-screws and pierced for the posts as described.

4. In a loose-leaf binder, an upper binder member and a lower bindermember; posts arising from the lower binder member; openings insaidupper binder member through which said posts pass; and meanscontained in the upper binder member for clamping said binder memberscomprising for each post, a fixed jaw, a lever-jaw pivoted'at one endnear said post, a half-elliptic spring carried by the other end of thepivoted jaw, a setscrew bearing against the free end of the pivoted. jawin opposition to the half-elliptic spring, and a depression in the upperbinder member to receive said set-screw.

5. In a loose-leaf binder; a lower binder member; a plurality of postsarising therefrom; a complementary upper binder member comprising arecess for a plate, openings for the passage of the posts, anddepressions for set-screws; combined with a plate fitted into therecess, a plurality of fixed jaws arranged to adjoin said openings andto conform to the surface of the posts, a plurality of lever-jawspivoted at one end near said openings and shaped to conform to thesurface of the posts and, with an elongated free arm, a plurality ofhalf-elliptic springs one centrally carried by the end of the long armof each pivoted jaw whereby its ends bear against the side of therecess, a plurality of set-screws carried by said plate and adapted tobear against the side of the long arm of the pivoted jaw opposite to thehalf-elliptic springs; and rubber caps for said posts as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ERNEST G. DUMAS.

Witnesses:

ELIZABETH M. MoOALLUM, ALLAN M. DUMAS.

